GET ORGANIZED; SAVE MONEY

Did you know that getting organized could put more money in your pocket? Our clients are always surprised when we find ways to generate cash, prevent waste and gain better value for the dollars they spend. Here are just a few ways that getting organized can help your wallet stay fatter.

Generate Cash
There are a few amazing stories about finding antique treasures and stored cash, but the most common circumstance is selling things you no longer need. Unused exercise equipment, no-longer-cherished collections and clothing that hasn’t fit in a while can find a new home through yard sales, on-line, auctions and consignment shops. The important thing in recycling these items for cash is to set a time limit to get rid of them and then donate or give away anything that has not sold.

Prevent Waste
One of the saddest things about purging clutter is finding spoiled or expired products that could have been put to good use. They just got lost and most often the client has bought new products to replace them. We have found hundreds of light bulbs, dozens of unopened shampoo bottles and many expired food products that had to be tossed in the trash. Having an organized space allows the client to assess what is on hand and what needs to be replaced. Living an organized lifestyle establishes systems that support orderly review of household needs and methods of restocking.

The other pitfall for disorganized individuals is misplacing bills and incurring late charges. An organized method of dealing with incoming mail and paying bills puts that money in the consumer’s pocket rather than in the credit card company’s account.

Gain Better Value
Better utilization of space allows room for buying in quantity when you can achieve cost savings. It also allows you to stock up on non-perishables when there are price breaks. Having a meal-planning program allows the purchase of produce in season and the use of that produce without waste.

More Savings Than Clipping Coupons
Getting organized and putting systems in place to stay organized is an effective cost saving measure in troubling times. Rising gasoline prices and higher food costs are making all of us take a closer look at the way we spend the money we have. AARP Bulletin reports that consumers above age forty-five have increased behaviors like clipping coupons, eating out less and buying less expensive generic products. While these are good choices, getting organized can stretch you dollar even more.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Green and Tidy

With more of us committed to preserve limited resources by recycling, folks are searching for better ways to store recyclables between pickups or trips to the drop off point. Although nothing we have tried can be deemed perfect, there are a few products that not only look better than trash bags and metal cans, they offer some convenience as well.

One of the challenges that face recyclers is minimizing the space that the items occupy. Aluminum cans and plastic bottles are major culprits in this area

Every serious recycler needs a can crusher. Electric can crushers are efficient, but do not offer much over the manual models, which offer great exercise for the arms. Crushers can squash up to ten cans at a time and are widely available. Aubuchon Hardware at www.hardwarestore.com has an extensive catalogue that includes some models that crush plastic as well as aluminum and tin. Can crushers are also available at Get Organized, www.shopgetorganized.com, and at Miles Kimball, www.mileskimball.com. as well as local hardware stores.

Pre-sorting is more efficient than sorting at the time of disposal. Large bins or storage boxes can serve this purpose. These are available at hardware stores and super stores. Bins on wheels are available at Target, www.target.com, at Ikea, www.ikeausa.com, and Walmart, www.walmart.com. Get Organized at www.shopgetorganized.com offers a set of three color-coded snap together bins that are easily portable. Improvements at www.improvements.com offers stackable storage bins that offer easy access while stacked and Target www.target.com has a three-drawer storage tower that works well for single person households.

If you have money to spare take a look at these two products. The Butterfly Recycler at www.simplehuman.com has twin buckets and a small footprint. At $179.00 it comes with a ten-year warranty. Williams Sonoma, www.williamssonoma.com, sells the EcoPod System. It stores newspapers, glass bottles and plastic bags. It also crushes and stores plastic bottles and aluminum cans. It carries a $328.00 price tag.

Recycling is good for the planet and finding solutions for organizing recyclables is good for your peace of mind. It is possible to be green and tidy.